Richard Brake

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It's 1953 and our story takes place in Russia - then known as the Soviet Union - a nation terrorised by their communist leader Joseph Stalin (Adrian McLoughlin). But this is not a story about the inhumane acts of oppression and cruelty in his regime that resulted in the death of millions, it's about the events that occurred both immediately prior and following his shocking death from an apparent stroke at the age of 74.

Of course, this movie is as loosely based on the real events as it possibly could be - but it's certainly how we'd want to imagine events transpiring. There becomes an intense power struggle between several members of the Council of Ministers including Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) - who would later go on to be the First Secretary of the Communist Party - Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale), Vyacheslav Molotov (Michael Palin), Lazar Kaganovich (Dermot Crowley), Anastas Mikoyan (Paul Whitehouse) and Nicolai Bulganin (Paul Chahidi).

Meanwhile, Marshal Georgy Zhukov (Jason Isaacs) is throwing a spanner in the works - not being the best of friends with Malenkov - and of course Joseph Stalin's renegade son Vasily (Rupert Friend) needs to be kept a close eye on. But nothing compares the chaos that they face from the public when they find out that their 'great' leader is dead.

Yuri is an artist living in Ukrainian Cossack family in the early 1930s. All seems well in the land; the people are free, well-fed - and Yuri himself has fallen in love with the beautiful Natalka whom he has known since he was a child. However, their lives are about to change forever with the new communist regime of Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin. Millions of people in agricultural areas of the USSR are left to starve to death as their harvest is confiscated by a ruthless government. It's a famine known as Holodomor which lasted between 1932 and 1933, and even when farmers try to move to more affluent areas, their travel is impeded by more official regulations. Together the people of Ukraine must band together to take back their country and their crops, and bring this cruel starvation episode to an end.

New York - the 1950s. A young and aspiring American poet, John Malcolm Brinnin (Elijah Wood), takes it upon himself to wrangle his favourite poet and bring him back for a performance in the United States. The poet in question, is a lyrically powerful, yet over-the-top hell raising Dylan Thomas (Celyn Jones). As Brinnin battles against the powerful and abrasive Thomas, his idolisation for the man falters. That is, until he steadily starts to understand what is truly going on inside the head of the poet. When the two men are finally on the same page, everything begins to become clearer for Brinnin; despite his ordinary world being totally shaken up by this new addition.

Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston talk about the upcoming 'Thor: The Dark World' in a short featurette revealing a snippet of what the film will bring to the Marvel film franchise on its release on October 30th 2013.

'Thor is the God of Thunder, he's from a place called Asgard which is within the nine realms in another universe', Chris explains, with Tom adding, 'Thor's brother, Loki, is this mischievous prince. At the end of 'Avengers', Thor takes them back to Asgard.' They explain that the movie picks up from events that happened in 'Avengers Assemble', but this time they are 'bound together on the same journey with the same goal'.

Marvel's Thunder God, Thor returns in the latest superhero blockbuster, Thor: The Dark World (sequel to self titled film: Thor) where he must face his greatest battle to save Earth and all nine realms 'from a Darkness known only to one' lead by the feared Malekith. Thor must risk everything by reuniting with his brother and Avengers Villian: Loki in order to protect his beloved Jane Foster in what promises to be the most thrilling Thor adventure yet.

There's an interesting, timely idea in this espionage thriller, as well as adept leading actors who are able to make the most of the script's dry wit. But the film is ultimately sabotaged by a clearly low budget and lacklustre direction that fails to connect the dots of the story. Even with some clever touches, the plot is resolutely fuzzy, and since it never comes into clear focus it's difficult for us to care what happens.

The title refers to radio stations governments have used for decades to broadcast strings of numbers that are decoded by covert field operatives. One of these agents is Emerson (Cusack), whose job is to clean up messes around America. But after a nasty incident he's having second thoughts about his career, so his boss (Cunningham) reassigns him to a numbers station in rural England, where his task is to keep an eye on civilian cryptologist Katherine (Akerman). Then the station is suddenly compromised, leaving Emerson and Katherine locked inside while a gang of baddies tries to break in.

Director Barfoed gives the movie a nicely haunted quality that builds a strong sense of menace. Cusack adds his trademark cynicism to the mix as a man who resorts to brittle humour to mask his torment over the death of a teen girl on an earlier mission, made worse by the fact that Katherine is now a "loose end" here. And so is he, for that matter. Akerman is a superb foil for him, giving Katherine a spiky braininess that catches Emerson off guard: if he's falling for her, he can't kill her. Can he? These themes are thoroughly involving, even if the script never goes anywhere with them.

Following the dramatic events of 'Thor' and 'The Avengers' which saw Thor battling not only his double-crossing adoptive brother Loki but a series of other nemeses, the hammer wielding hero returns to Earth to reunite with his beloved Jane Foster and whisk her away to his home in Asgard. Unfortunately, he ends up bringing her towards terrible danger that he himself could not fathom. A dark race that predates even the oldest corners of the universe; a race of elves led by the ruthless Malekith who plans to plunge the entire universe back into oblivion in a vengeful pursuit that will destroy everything that Thor and Odin have fought to protect. In desperation, Thor confronts his imprisoned brother and asks for help in exchange for his freedom with the promise that he will destroy Loki if he dares betray him again. Can Thor and the rest of Asgard defeat the latest dark force that threatens them? Or will such a primitive power prove impossible to overcome?

Here is the new sequel to Kenneth Branagh's 2011 movie 'Thor' that is set some time after the events of Joss Whedon's 'The Avengers'. 'Thor: The Dark World' is based on the comic books by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby and sees a new director, Alan Taylor ('Game Of Thrones', 'Mad Men', 'The Emperor's New Clothes'), with the return of screenwriter Don Payne ('Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer') alongside Christopher Yost ('The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes') and Stephen McFeely ('The Chronicles of Narnia', 'Captain America: The First Avenger'). It is set to hit the UK on October 30th 2013.

It's just another year at Grizzly Lake High School and for the seniors, this year is extra special, as they have their prom to look forward to. Gossip and bitching run riot through the halls; in particular, gossip about ironic hipster Clapton, who is seeing Ione, a pretty, blonde, ditzy cheerleader.

In the 1930's The Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth was known as the best circus in America, a small and tight knit community of performers and animals who were all masters of their craft. When trainee veterinarian Jacob Jankowski finds himself as a passenger on their circus train he soon becomes part of the family. Hired to look after the animals he meets Marlena, a beautiful woman who performs as an equestrian star and her husband August, the head animal trainer; it doesn't take long for Jacob to see there's a sinister side to August's personality.

Penny is a young medical researcher who works in a lab with her boss Professor Greengrass and his assistant Simone , as days go by Penny begins to question if this is the job she really wants to do and also takes a look at her increasingly lonely homelife. When Penny starts to hear the voice of her partner in the house - even though he's not actually in the building - Penny thinks she might be going crazy.